In this blog I will be giving my political opinions on both issues at home and abroad.
I will also focus on the issues that affect the people of Ipswich and in particular those who live in Rushmere Ward.
I will also try and give an insight to how I will be campaigning in Rushmere and Ipswich as we fight against the savage cuts imposed by this Tory Government

Thursday, 21 April 2011

Will Bee save the Tories?

This week Mark Bee took over as Leader of the Tory group on Suffolk County Council, his appointment has led to a number of posts in the local politics blogosphere and a number of pages in both the East Anglian Daily Times and the Evening Star.Most seem happy that Bee got the nod over Colin Noble - that is all but Ipswich Spy who must have a mole in the County Tory ranks, many of us thought Noble would happily continue with NSD and work alongside/under Ms Hill but it seems that Noble dedicated much of his speech on how Ms Hill's days would be numbered under his leadership, where Mark Bee just said Ms Hill was an HR matter.Now I am not a fan of Ms Hill, but feel she has become an easy target when it should be the County Tories (the whole group) who employed her, paid her and then let her lead on NSD that should take the brunt of the criticism. Unlike two certain Tory blogs, I do not just print rumours, but in this case I feel it is relevant, some Tories believe the recently called inquiry into the suicide of one of the County Officers will lead to the acting leader to be able to get rid of Ms Hill before Cllr Bee takes over as leader of Suffolk County Council.

But will Cllr Bee and his handling of NSD, save the Tories? Maybe too late for them in Ipswich and Waveney and the Labour vote will increase on most rural parts of the County but most Tories will hold onto their seats, but for all the good press Cllr Bee is currently getting on halting/thinking about NSD, the County still needs to make cuts, but any time they come under pressure (waste sites, school crossing patrols) they just delay it. I hope that Cllr Bee will force a change in the direction the County was going but I feel though many School Crossing Patrols will be saved, the threat to Suffolk libraries is still very real and for that reason I think Cllr Bee will have to pull quite a few hot coals out of the fire to stop the Tories losing a number of seats in 2013 when we vote in the next County Council.

Nationally the Tory vote is holding quite well but it is their coalition bed mates, the Lib Dems who seem to be suffering the most, it will be interesting to see how they fare on May 5th. In Ipswich it might be the start of the road to nowhere for the Lib Dems, 7 councillors at the moment by almost certain that they will not have that many come May 6th.

About Me

I am 55 and married with two children, I stood for the Labour Party in the Rushmere Ward in Ipswich at 2006 and 2007 local elections and then won it for Labour on May 1st 2008 with a majority of 13 before retaining the seat in 2012 with a majority of over 500. I retaining the seat again in 2016.
I live in the ward and I was born in Ipswich and both my parents (Annie and Peter Ross) were Labour councillors in Ipswich.
I went to Tower Ramparts School in the town (Yes, it was a school before it became a shopping centre!)
In 1978, I left Ipswich to join the army. I spent 24 years in the Royal Green Jackets, serving in Northern Ireland, Bosnia and Kosova.
Since leaving the army in 2002, I have worked in a local school.
I spent 2009 back with the army, 7 months in Sangin, Afghanistan as Operations Warrant Officer with 2 Rifles.
I am the campaign organisor in Rushmere
Sport is my other great interest and I was one of the founding members of the Ipswich Town Independent Supporters Trust.